February 27, 2011

I felt like Ernie Anastos after he told the weatherman to "Keep fucking that chicken" during a live broadcast. Externally I had to just keep smiling through, while inside my mind was screaming that whatever madness had just passed my lips had the potential to devastate all that I held dear. And all I had said was, “Yes, sir.”

Rather than further contemplate this horror, however, I snapped a salute to Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, spun on my heels, and exited his tent into the smothering Afghani heat. Until now, I had barely seen the general, let alone spoken with him. All orders passed from Caldwell to Lt. Colonel Michael Holmes, my CO, and then down to me. But it seemed that the general and the colonel weren’t seeing eye to eye lately, so Caldwell had sought me out as a potential ally in his private campaign.

"Operation Four Star," Holmes had derisively nicknamed it. Caldwell wanted to use our psyops team against visiting Congress members to prop up flagging support for the war. There was no threat Congress would move to actually end the occupation, but attention would shift back to Iraq, the boys in Baghdad would start getting all the headlines and funding increases, and the next thing you know our $20 billion-a-year air-conditioning budget would be slashed.

It'd take three or four years before Iraq would start feeling hopeless again, the press would start screaming about the great Taliban threat, and we would get our AC back. Nope, that wouldn't do at all; the generals, with their promotions depending on AfPak s continued prominence, were not going to lose this pissing contest, even if it meant some Senators needed a little light brainwashing. And I'd just agreed to help with the scrubbing.

As soon as one really starts listening to Ryan T. Dunn's sonic creations as Instinct Control, one realizes that as much as they are improvised, the project name is no accident, as the end result is very much an experiential journey with the composer/performer as guide, "intent" unfolding as it happens. I envision Ryan a bit lost in a pyramid, but far from panicking, he's gradually mastering the texture of the glyphs along the wall, patiently and deliberately finding his way. It's good chaos, like that scene in Tarkovsky's The Mirror, all shaken-out hair and falling plaster rendered in slow motion.

Ryan is a real-time composer, who really knows his instrument, and where you could say this about many in the circuit-bending crowd, when listening to Instinct Control, one really feels the journey—every corner the music turns, every choice the player takes, is an exploration of feeling, a joyous journey, and lucky you get to ride along.

These two sets were rendered absolutely live, on the My Castle of Quiet program of February 18, Ryan seated on the floor, thus somewhat hidden from view to engineer Bob Bellerue and myself. Seemingly very lucid, quiet and confident, Ryan sat before his instrument and found his way, for as long as the journey made sense. And though by the common standard, this is raucous, intense music, to me these are soul-stirring trips—the more I explore these sets, the more I appreciate their energizing quality, their sure power and uplifting vibrance.

Thanks to Bob Bellerue for exposing me to Ryan's music and setting up the meet, as well as engineering the live session. Thanks as always to Tracy Widdess of Brutal Knitting for stomping colorful life into my iPhone capture of the artist at work; buy a radical balaclava from her today—reasonably priced original Canadian folk art it is. And thanks most of all to Ryan T. Dunn for these ever-more-uplifting performances. Hallelujah!

February 25, 2011

Yesterday, the Space Shuttle Discovery departed Earth on it's final mission. Among the cargo aboard, was one astronaut who's name was not publicly announced. My beautiful friend, and band mate- Clare Armory has left our Planet Earth. Her soul has been set free to bless this mad universe that we all live in. I know how difficult that it is to lose a loved one to cancer. I lost my mother nine years ago to the same ravaging disease. It was the hardest thing that I have ever had to deal with in my life. My mother was 57 when she lost her 29 year battle with cancer. Clare was 35. Any age is too young to be taken from us. It hurts so much.

There isn't much I can say beyond that, so I just want to thank you Clare for sharing your gifts with the world. I hope we meet again some day. All my love to your friends and family, to everyone you touched during your too brief time.

Last Saturday, I caught the Rose Lowder program at Anthology, which was the final leg of her short US tour of Boston, Milwaukee, Chicago and New York. Lowder is a French filmmaker currently teaching at the University of Paris whose work is not often shown publicly in the States. Since the late 1970s she has made about 50 16mm films, many as short as 1 minute in length but as dense and electric as any of Peter Kubelka's or Paul Sharits'. Several devoted fans of her work in Pittsburgh organized this series of screenings in an attempt to bring her to a wider audience, and the artist was happy to be on hand and explain her process to the neophytes present. Lowder told us many interesting details of her life, including her unlikely entrance into the world of experimental filmmaking. She had become interested in the genre as early as the 1960s, when sound poet Bob Cobbing showed films like Genet's Un Chant d'Amour in the back room of his London bookstore. After studying at several art schools internationally, she found a job as a BBC film editor--a position she held for at least ten years, and the main reason she no longer edits her own films (aside from the simple joining of two reels together). Indeed, each of Lowder's films is made in the camera, and she is well-known for filming in a non-linear fashion--often exposing later parts of the film strip before others, then rewinding and filling in the caesuras of her work-in-progress. This keeps the artistic process loose and pliable while saving Lowder from the over-indulgences of post-photographic editing.

The film was shot frame by frame on 16 mm over the course of 8 hours (making it more linear than later films by RL) with frequent changes in exposure and focal point, giving the flowers a nervous, thrashing quality unlike the calm pastoral scene we are accustomed to. It should be noted that Lowder, by her own admission, spent three years studying perception before venturing to make her own avant-garde films; and each of her crystalline products must be viewed in light of this quasi-scientific investigation of optical phenomena.

Andy Votel is an English DJ. He specializes in forgotten prog, Middle Eastern 1970s rock, 1960s Europop, Tropicallia: music thrown on a trash heap which is anything but trash. Get a Real Player for older archives.

Vertigo Mixed is an hour plus sound byte race car ride through the early-70s most edgy label. Brian Turner played the album's opening in 2005. Linda Hoyle, Gracious, Nirvana (no, not them. 1960s English group) Aphrodite's Child, and Coliseum. (It's not listed, but I also hear Lighthouse) Listen to Votel thread these sounds with pressure cooker energy. (R)

Votel did three more mixes, turbo-charging the exotic forgotten into modern digital speed. Hatch used some of Songs In The Key Of Death in 2005.(R). Two other mixes: Music To Watch Girls Cry, and One Nation Under A Grave. Very Good Plus is a site where a lot of Votel's obscure samples are listed--not complete but a step in the right direction.

Mary Wing, on 100% Whatever. played Ramesh Das from Pomegranates, a comp of rock from pre-theocracy Iran. Benjamin Walker, when his show was Theory Of Everything, played Vampires Of Dartmoor, a soundtrack to a nonexistent film.

Small Change played 1970s Hungarian rock from Sarolta Zalantnay Zalantnay gorgeously exaggerates the wha-wha and fuzz bass, while accentuating blue notes. Iron curtain rock slams as badass as Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple.

Trouble let Votel, and friends Cherrystones, DJ on her show in 2005(R). He played, among the few tracks he listed, Shirley Collins, Barrow Poets, and Battered Ornaments. Listen for how you can get into pub fights debating folk music in the UK.

DJ Handi subjectivity: the most interesting piece was Stanley Meyers' score to the 1972 film Sitting Target, which Votel plays and speaks over. Its frightening hypnosis parallels modern trip-hop. Votel reissued this soundtrack. If you wonder why the score gives such creeps, look at this. The music here is the theme running through the album.

February 24, 2011

A couple weeks ago Acid Birds stopped by WFMU's studios at the tail end of a swing through the midwest and up the east coast. We got the band good and rehearsed and buoyed by Snowpocolypse 2011, no doubt. Acid Birds consists of members of two longtime favorite improvising ensembles Gold Sparkle Band and Peeesseye, both of whom have graced WFMU with their presences in years past.

The band is aptly described as psychedelic free jazz and chooses to pull the best parts of each to form it's dinosaur-toothed sound. (Maybe I should say dinochicken due to the reverse engineering?) I'm a big fan of free blowing and also of psychedelia but it's a combo that can can get sort of messed up, and not in a good way. For example, the presence of harmonium and electronics (played by Acid Bird Jaime Fennelly), could be troubling to you. (Good) free jazz requires the ability to adapt and react quickly and there are countless instances of electronics and jazz turning lumpy when shaken, curdling in the mouth. Thankfully, Acid Birds turns this into a strength. I marveled at Jaime's reflexes and you'll hear several moments where his electronics converse in the manner of an acoustic instrument, then provoke Charles Waters (clarinet, bass clarinet, percussion) and Andrew Barker (drums, percussion), both exceptionally reflective musicians, off towards a higher place. This music will get inside you.

Free jazz itself, as with psychedelia, was once so revolutionary. Imagine! It's difficult to impress anyone these days. Let me just say that these three musicians have a collective heaviness about them. I'm convinced that this is some of the more vital underground music being made. I hope you enjoy it. Many thanks to Ruaraidh Sanachan for engineering.

Unlike many other bo-ring public radio beg-a-thons, your pals here at Freeform Headquarters make sure our Marathon is spastic, exciting, and a little bit dangerous. Be sure to tune in to WFMU February 28th - March 13th for some very special programming including DJ tag teams, on-air stunts, live webcam video streams, prize giveaways, and on March 4th (9pm-mid) Yo La Tengo will play cover song requests for your pledges.

We've got a new line of swag to offer, including a T-shirt designed by Tim Biskup, a Glow-in-the-Dark Map of NJ, a Bottle Opener Keychain, a USB Flash Drive loaded with hits from the Free Music Archive, and tons of great DJ Premiums for the taking! Check out the mountains of goodies and make your pledge right here.

February 23, 2011

If you took all of the dollar bills you saved downloading the music presented in these pages each week and placed them end to end—Stop!—you'd be wasting precious time that you could be downloading the music served up below. But hey, while you've got that cash laying about, please take a couple of precious minutes to toss WFMU some badly needed cash.

Please go to WFMU's pledge page and make a contribution now. If you pledge at the "premium" level ($75), you qualify to receive a copy of Love Your Motherlode, Again, my personally handcrafted full-length CD of favorite tracks culled from the best LPs presented in Mining the Audio Motherlode over the past year. Whatever amount you can donate to WFMU will be gratefully appreciated. Please ruminate on all the amazing music you've been turned onto here, and than do a good turn and make a donation to WFMU. Thanks.

To Oum With Love"As its title suggests, Tribute to Oum Koulsoum features instrumental versions of songs (mostly composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab) made famous by the Egyptian chanteuse. If anything can equal the power of that lady's voice, it's Khorshid's guitar. From concert photos that I've seen, Khorshid appears to have been typically backed by a group that included an accordionist and two percussionists on hand drums. That seems to be the case on this album and on most of his other recordings from his 1973-1977 peak period as well. The accordion sounds like it has been run through some kind of effects box. Although it occasionally has a dated 1970s cheesy synthesizer sound, for the most part it provides the perfect foundation for Khorshid to go off on his amazing solo flights, while the drummers provide some fantastic polyrhythms. Words really can't do these stately performances justice." (Commentary from Record Fiend)

Damn!"The guitar work is the real star of the piece. It manages to be tidy and relaxed, embellishing the groove with a minimum of fuss while always adding to the vibe of the track. Although most of the music featured concentrates on life's good times, on the albums few slower and sadder tracks - like "Joey" and "I Feel Like Crying -the guitar proves more than able to express sorrow and sadness. And Little Beaver's voice, although not as versatile as his playing, always connects with the themes and emotions of the songs." (BBC review by Matt Harvey)

Pop Goes the Threesome"Trio Nagô was a musical group that was very successful in Ceará in the fifties, and almost unknown to current generations. The trio began to take shape in 1948 when Mario Alves de Almeida and Epaminondas Souza, who has sung in Ceará Radio Club, met Evaldo Gouveia. In 1954, the Trio was awarded the Prize Roquette Pinto "Best Vocal Ensemble." This album is a collection assembled from songs originally recorded on LPs and 78s. Some songs bear the imprint of the mischief and good humor characteristic of the Cerense people...." (Vasco Arrudo's description—via Google Translate, with edits—atOpovo Online)

Expatriate Games"Curated by Claudia Gould and Stephen Frailey, ‘The Voices of Paul Bowles’ is an audio portrait combining some of the composer’s music with readings from his own texts, Moroccan traditional music and location recordings from Tangier and Morocco where he lived from 1947. The most striking device is the handsome and warm voice of Bowles reading through his writings. Also notable are the lively field recordings of folk local music Bowles made himself in 1959 (tracks #01, 03, 06 & 09). The simoon (my conjecture) heard at the end of ‘The Garden’, track #08, is a short but evocative recording of a North Africa typical wind. Bowles own compositions are exquisite vignettes full of humour and wit. A microcosm in itself, a day in the life of Paul Bowles, the tape starts with the muezzin’s morning call to prayer and ends with dogs barking at sunset, an amazing barking chorale recorded amid the rising desert wind. A poignant conclusion to an utterly beautiful tape." (From a description at Ubuweb)

Hobo Chic"'Lowell Fulson's comfortably laid-back but groovin' soul-blues workout "Tramp" quickly became one of his biggest hits (and fared even better in a cover version by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas), and this album (released to tie in with the single's success) finds Fulson following a similar stylistic path. While most of Tramp's tunes lean more heavily on traditional blues structures than the title tune, Fulson was obviously aiming for a funky ambience rather than the heavy emotional crush of the deep blues, and his clean, uncluttered guitar solos are warmer and more approachable than the typical Chicago-style axe work of the day. There's a sly playfulness to this material that's winning, and even the most down-and-out songs here display a light touch and creative intelligence that sets Fulson apart." (Mark Deming, at AllMusic)

Saturday will mark the 39th anniversary of the deadly Buffalo Creek flood that swept through 17 small towns in West Virginia on February 26, 1972. All told, 125 people perished in the flood. If any of this sounds vaguely familiar to BOTB readers, it's not impossible to imagine that you recall another 45 I blogged on this horrible event a little over a year ago.

The flood was caused by the failure of what is known as a coal slurry impoundment dam, which is essentially a colossal (mostly) liquid garbage dump built to contain the impurities that are left over as a result of the coal mining process.

Buffalo Creek Disaster pulls no punches in its grim description of the horrors experienced by those caught downstream of the dam. The flood's destructive powers are illuminated by Crowder's blunt but powerful lyrics telling of displaced families, drownings, orphaned children and the screams of people who knew their deaths were imminent.

In 1975, a documentary filmmaker from Kentucky, Mimi PIckering, released The Buffalo Creek Flood: An Act Of Man. Thirty years later, this film's cultural significance was recognized when it was named to the National Film Registry. This coming Tuesday (March 1), Pickering will present The Buffalo Creek Flood on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. More details can be found here.

February 22, 2011

Over the weekend, I had the oppurtunity to see Tamaryn and Mirror Mirror with my friend Florenz Cruz at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City. Despite being a bit out of the way, it was a great place to see a show, especially with the great stage set up the museum designed for it... complete with a giant white drape leaning over the stage and part of the audience. This seemed the perfect setting to see a group like Tamaryn, with this cavernous make-shift ceiling reflecting colors and allowing the group's music to be as big as it can be. Each song seemed to start off with a simple bassline and then explode into much more, never getting old.

After the show, we had the opportunity to go meet the group's guitarist and singer, Rex and Tamaryn, respectively, and Florenz nabbed a couple of photos and got the chance to record some Q+A with the band. A transcription of that is available to read after the jump.

February 21, 2011

Many Listener Blog Readers are familiar with Bronwyn C.’s longstanding fascination with numismaticism, especially the Ron Paul Dollar—the second most popular currency in the United States! But many don’t realize that the number one most popular currency, Federal Reserve notes, aren’t the only option.

Briefly, the U.S. government does not issue money, the Federal Reserve Bank issues money, and the money is a “fiat currency,” which means it’s not backed by silver or gold, it’s backed by your delusional belief that it’s worth something. Section 411 of Title 12 of the United States Code provides that Federal Reserve notes “shall be redeemed in lawful money on demand at the Treasury Department of the United States, in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, or at any Federal Reserve bank”—but what is “lawful money”? Well, in this case, it’s debt.

But you don’t have to use Federal Reserve notes if you don’t want to! You can use any of a number of alternative currencies, all of which are perfectly legal. If you’re in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, you can use the widely accepted local currency called BerkShares. Just look up “alternative currency” and you’ll find a lot of them, all perfectly legal—except, ha ha, the Ron Paul dollar, which was backed with actual precious metals and so the FBI raided the issuers’ office and everyone got indicted and now there has to be trial.

NEVERTHELESS, in our quest to boldly violate the false dichotomy between jokes and serious shit, Thunk Tank is issuing Thunk Tank Notes just in time for the WFMU Marathon! Listeners will be able to exchange Federal Reserve notes for Thunk Tank notes 1:1. We intend to make the Bieb the second-most popular currency among WFMU Listeners, and we figure as long as we don’t issue coinage or claim to be legal tender, we probably won’t get indicted.

Marathon's almost here, but in the meantime let's enjoy some of the special-est special programs around -- reminders of why this station means so much and deserves our support. Yes?

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On Tuesday, Diane Kamikaze is going to air her interview with Steve Ignorant of Crass. Steve talks with her about his autobiography, The Rest Is Propaganda, chronicling his years before, during, and after being involved with the legendary anarchist punk band, and much more. His current tour, "Steve Ignorant Presents: The Last Supper, Crass Songs 1977 - 1982," comes to town March 10th at Santos Party House. After a finale in London in November, Steve will never perform the songs of Crass again. Join Diane for this very special interview -- along with plenty of Crass recordings and related stuff -- 2/22, from 12 to 3 PM.

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The UCB has Seven Second Delay in the house again on Wednesday, and you are all invited! As often happens to spectacular effect, Ken and Andy broadcast their show this week live from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Manhattan. This episode's guests include author Mike Sacks, and Robert Galinsky, who runs the New York Reality TV School. Listen on 2/23 from 6 to 7 PM, or stop by with $5 in hand to watch in person: 307 West 26th Street, NYC.

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Right after that, Trent is doing a live remote from the roof of Dublab in Silver Lake, Los Angeles -- he and Dublab DJs will play music and host a live set from Virtual Boy. The dubstream will go from 5 to 10 PM local time (2 - 7 out west), so check that out if you want to hear the whole party. Sound and Safe will be on the FMU airwaves 2/23 from 7 to 8 PM.

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On My Castle of Quiet, Wm. Berger has two exciting guests from the world of classic horror-sexploitation film: director/screenwriter/historian Frank Henenlotter, and well-known local schlock enthusiast Mike Hunchback. They will all convene to discuss Henenlotter's latest film, which is a documentary about Herschell Gordon Lewis, aka the Godfather of Gore -- creator of the so-called "splatter film." The doc will be screening in early March at Anthology Film Archives; tune in to hear more about it 2/25 from midnight to 3 AM.

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Saturday morning, peer at the golden age of showbiz as Michael Shelley welcomes legendary radio host Joe Franklin. He interviewed over 500,000 guests during the 43 years his talk show was on the air, his record collection includes one million 78s, and he will share the secrets to his success during Michael's show on 2/26, from 11 to 1 PM.

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Lastly, Rex will talk with illustrator and cherished WFMU friend Drew Friedman. Drew's new book, Sideshow Freaks, is out now from Blast Books -- he comes to Fool's Paradise to promote it, discuss his early career and his Tor Johnson sightings, and have a nice time hanging out. Listen Saturday 2/26, from 1 to 3 PM.

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Evan "Funk" Davies has been doing his annual salute to the Westminster Kennel Club dog show for a few years now, and I hope I can be so bold as to say it gets better every time. Especially if you are a fan of that NYC institution, held at Madison Square Garden each year around Valentine's Day, you must listen to the archive here. Don't neglect Evan's playlist, either (never do) -- it offers many additional facets of delight to the radio experience.

February 20, 2011

A teenage girl named Teresa (or perhaps Theresa) had to leave her friends when her family moved to Georgetown, Kentucky. She not only exchanged letters with the friends back home, but audio tapes, too. 40 or more years later, one of those tapes ended up in a batch I bought somewhere.

It sounds like maybe this was the second of at least two tapes, based on the way that side one seems to be picking up in the middle of a story. But as side one of this three inch reel of tape begins, Teresa talks about her recent college visit to Kentucky Wesleyan college, where she and her friends were housed with a population she was clearly not comfortable with. She shares a bit about a boring dance she went to, while there, and the walk back to the dorm when she and friends decided to leave early. Then she speaks about a more recent dance, near her home, where she danced with the lead singer of the locally popular band "The Exiles" - by the way, this is the same group that evolved into "Exile" of "Kiss You All Over" and 1980's country music fame. Both the slipping sound of the tape at the start and the dropping out of the sound at about the five minute point are on the original tape.

A month later, still not having finished or sent the tape, Teresa returns to it, and recaps some of the same stories, especially the one about dancing with the leader of The Exiles, while going on to discuss other aspects of life in Kentucky, including how much she hates it (which, to me, was not evident in her tone up to that point). She's starting to tell of another party when someone tells her that she's just received a letter from the very friend she's talking to. After reading the letter, it's clear something interesting has been shared, but we'll never find out what it was, as she offers a quick "Bye" as she sees the tape running out.

And now, here are a few very unusual odds and ends that I've compiled, none of which would be significant enough to offer up in a post, in and of themselves. First, I found this interesting bit of scat singing in the middle of what was otherwise about 20 minutes of trombone practice, which the scat singer erased with this performance. It's sort of low key at first, but becomes more excitable as it goes on. I've left the tromboning for about ten seconds at either end of this tape:

Next, a parody someone threw together circa 1979, when NBC was promoting its new fall shows with the "NBC - Proud as a Peacock" theme. In 59 seconds, the song manages to take a lot of meanspirited shots at Fred Silverman and his navagation of NBC into last place among the three networks. This was the only thing on an 1800 foot reel of tape, one which was simply labeled "Loud as a Peacock" on the side of the box. I guess this is well known in certain circles, but I was unfamiliar with it, and I'm guessing that's true of many others, too, so here it is.

Finally, here's something momentary, silly and weird. I guess I was mostly taken by this because it was nearly the only thing on this reel of tape, and was about half way through the second side (nowhere near anything else on the tape). So whoever this is had to run the tape halfway through the reel in order to record for 13 seconds.

February 19, 2011

Today I want simply to share these six songs gleaned from a friend's assortment of Cambodian K7s that he used to collect 15 or more years ago, long before there were compilations of such things. We used to gain a lot of inspiration for our band's music and arrangements from these terrific songs.

Unfortunately, I've never had time to listen to all of the compilations of this music that've come out since those days- just bits and pieces, and for all I know, these tracks may all have been 'officially' released. But just in case they haven't been, and 'cuz I think they're wonderful, I present these six songs that I know nothing about, merely to pass them along. (Later I found out that Pappy no longer had any of the tapes, and he was glad I had saved at least some of the music)

As I said- all from the original cassettes, which had wildly varying content and 'quality', but shared an exuberant love of various pop genres. Any information as to titles and artists is welcome!

February 7. Gaylord Fields played some Tropicalia: "Camelo" by Tom Ze' from Grande Liquidacao. Os Mutantes backed Ze' on this 1968 album, which is rare and pricey. You'll find this when, like me, you decide you just have to have it Bonus: modern Ze' on The Fro Show With Jesse. Ze' is now on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label, but to learn about the 60s Topicalia movment Ze' came from, read this article.

Jason Elbogen used French experimental and French disco in a set featuring Jackie Chalard and Jane Birkin. The Chalard was just reissued by Andy Votel's B-Music.

Benjamin Walker filled in for Liz Berg with Too Much Information. He opened as follows: Charlie Feathers, Mark McGuire, Mogwai, and aTelcino.

Contradictions on Toothpick Rhythm with Betsy Nichols, who played a song by George Jones called 'Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes. "I Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" then sang Goldie Hilll. And know what? It's the same tune. I know little about country, but do know country songs have passed through generations, mutating over time. Perhaps the process is comparable to blues standards: the early Rolling Stones cover Muddy Waters but the lyrics change. An educated guess from a crawling-before-walking cowboy.

Let's finish with music I actually know: On Underwater Themepark, Meghan played, Galaxie 500 and Moonshake. Moonshake were an incredibly dark 1990s art rock band: picture the singer in a 1940s club spotlit in black leather. Lots of great genres drowned in Clinton-era grunge.

Enough. There are many unturned stones, and next week's concept is hopefully under ONE of them !

February 17, 2011

Feb.18th: WFMU's Billy Jam takes his show live to Amoeba Records on 1855 Haight Street in San Francisco from 3-6PM ET to host live DJ sets by KUSF 90.3 FM DJs! The sets are a chance to hear KUSF DJs play after the announced sale of the station's broadcast license on Jan. 18. KUSF's Irwin (Sleeves on Hearts), Carolyn, Stereo Steve, Jantine B., Harry D. (In The Soul Kitchen), and DJ Schmeejay (Radiodrome) are scheduled to spin records from 12 noon-3 p.m. Pacific Time. WFMU has set up a network to broadcast the sets on stations around the country. Announced stations include KZSU (Stanford, 90.1 FM), KFJC (Foothill College, 89.7 FM), KXLU (Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, 88.9 FM), WXYC (Chapel Hill, N.C., 89.3 FM) KDVS (Davis, CA., 90.3 FM) KVRX (91.7 FM in Austin, TX), KALX (90.7 in Berkeley CA), KRFP Moscow, Idaho (Free Radio Moscow, 92.5 FM), WITC (91.7 FM Cazenoivia, NY), WCBN (88.3 FM in Ann Arbor, MI), and WREK (Atlanta, 91.1 FM) in addition to WFMU (New Jersey, 91.1 FM). Former KUSF DJ Billy Jam, now at WFMU, organized the event and will MC it along with WFMU's Gaylord Fields. Jam told RadioSurvivor.com that the event is, “to celebrate the greatness that was (and hopefully soon again will be) KUSF on the FM dial where it deserves to be. There will be six KUSF DJs doing half hour sets each … and I have asked them all to include as many KUSF 90.3 FM celebrity IDs and 'drops' as possible so it sounds like the good ol' KUSF pre-Jan. 18, 2011. But mostly, the goal is to further raise awareness and help fight the good fight to save KUSF.”

The University of San Francisco announced it was selling the broadcast license for KUSF 90.3 FM on Jan. 18. That morning at 10 a.m., the university shut down KUSF without notice and turned the signal at 90.3 FM over to the University of Southern California's Classical Public Radio Network. The radio signal was cut, the broadcast went static, and DJs were escorted out of station headquarters. In the weeks since, a wide array of voices has spoken out against the proposed sale including the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, California state senator Leland Yee, the San Francisco Democratic Party, the USF Faculty Association, Yo La Tengo, and The Kronos Quartet. All have spoken against the proposed transfer of the 90.3 FM license to non-local entity, the University of Southern California, which already owns five other terrestrial broadcast licenses. The coalition of volunteers working to save KUSF 90.3 FM now has more than 7,300 members. The group’s Facebook page has already received over 1.3 million post views, which has helped fund the legal costs to file a Petition to Deny the pending license transfer with the FCC.

Each year during WFMU's fundraising Marathon, NJ legends Yo La Tengo set up shop in our tiny studio and play cover song requests in exchange for pledges. The event is always highly anticipated and full of surprises, and it just keeps getting better year after year.

This year, YLT cover request madness hits the WFMU airwaves on Friday March 4th, 9pm-midnight EST, during Pseu Braun's show (Gaylord Fields will be co-hosting). Synchronize your watch, get your requests ready to fire, and be sure to tune in. We'll be hosting a live video stream of YLT's set at wfmu.org, but it won't archive the set, so don't miss out!

Tony Coulter here, with another audio-visualization exercise for you. I want you to close your eyes, concentrate, and focus hard on imagining what the music of Daniel Malempré and the music of Tom Recchion might sound like.

Now, open your eyes, stretch, and click below to find out if you were right.

February 16, 2011

This is an interview my friend Florenz Cruz did with Jennifer Charles of New York band Elysian Fields. The group performed live on Irwin's show in 2004 and in 2009, Charles was a special guest on the same program. Those two can both be listened to here.

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With Oren Bloedow’s riffs ranging from dangerously aggressive to sensuously soft and Jennifer Charles’ distinctly tranquil, almost hushed, inarguably beautiful vocal stylings, Elysian Fields has been one of New York’s musical mainstays for over a decade.

In the midst of finishing up their latest album, Last Night On Earth, they will be performing with Lucinda Black Bear at Le Poisson Rouge this Friday, February 18, and at Amiens Jazz Festival in France on April 2. Jennifer Charles kindly agreed to answer a slew of personal questions that puts the band’s music into a more multidimensional perspective, allowing a brief look into the inspiration incorporated into her past, present, and future work.